Knappogue Castle 1951

Knappogue Castle 1951 marks a half-century in the year 2001. In the 1960s, Mark Edwin Andrews, an American with a keen interest in fine whiskey and a love of Ireland, bought the remaining casks of whiskey distilled at the prestigious B. Daly Distillery. This rare pot-distilled whiskey, was made in 1951 and and aged in sherry casks for 36 years before it was bottled in 1987. Mr. Andrews named it Knappogue Castle Whiskey after the castle he owned in Ireland. For centuries Irish whiskey was pot-distilled and sold in casks. Knappogue Castle 1951 is one of the last examples of that tradition. It differs from Scotch single malts in three important ways: (1) it was made from both malted and unmalted barley; (2) no peat was used to dry the malt; (3) it was triple distilled, one batch at a time in copper pots. Long-aged, this spirit is an astonishing whiskey with unsurpassed smoothness and a very complex, slightly sweet finish. Only 300 bottles of 80 proof Knappogue Castle 1951 are available each year. Each bottle is attractively presented in a wooden box with an identifying brass plaque. Perfect for a 50th birthday or golden anniversary. Treat yourself or someone special.